New Beginnings

This is a blog about a Horse. * Not just any horse.... but a good horse. * This horse came into our lives about 6 years ago, and we have enjoyed every minute of having him in our life. * Some horses are Great at something, others, not really good at anything. * This horse was pretty good at everything we pointed him at. * And then he got better. * He was kind of a lazy type of horse, kind of laid back....so I"m pretty sure he had the idea to 'work smarter' not harder. * So, it seemed like he learned fast, and then made a game of just about everything. * Some lazy horses get petulant and obstinate. * Not him, he was/is kind of a happy soul.... and really just wants to get along. *

I've sold him recently, and decided to do a blog about him. He's so worth it. The folks that have bought him, took delivery just last week, and they are already very happy with him, I hear. He now lives in Kansas, and had a High Class Transportation Delivery to his new home. This being a full size Semi, I had to walk him out to the main street. I did get to load him myself, and see the arrangements inside the trailer. * He was perfectly comfortable in his temporary surroundings. * I loaded him about 9ish, and he was gone by 9:30 after I signed his trip ....and off they went. * I wondered how I'd feel about the actual "Goodbye" ...and I handled it fine. * It was just me and the driver, so no one there to make me sentimental. I did give him a hug and a pat, and felt a bit of something welling up..... squelched it down. * I know he's gone to a great new family. A friend of ours gave the references to make this happen, and I know she wouldn't if things weren't right. He's done a great job here with us, with our grandchildren and the many many people here that have learned to ride on him.

In going thru the pictures of over 6 years, honestly, some of the people, I don't remember their names. Basically, I'm not going to name names, unless they are grandchildren and I have the right to talk about them.

This was the first horse I ever learned to rope off of, and I will probably miss him most for that, as far as my own use goes. I'll never forget the gentleness he displayed to umpteen tiny tiny children. That is a Legacy he leaves here, and I hope he can somehow continue it in Kansas.

Here he is about 30 or so hours later, in Kansas.

I hadn't had him long at this time. I think maybe less than 6 months. We were at a 4-H meeting and I was pretty darn happy with him already.

Getting loaded by a youngster

The first summer I had him, I showed him at the Idaho Center in Nampa. Western and English.

This is possibly literally the first time maybe I caught on him.

I was going to try to have these pictures in order chronologically, but it became more than impossible, the more photos I found. (Basically I just started throwing pictures up here) But in many of these with young children, we are at home, at the Optimist park, at a local arena, maybe Cascade (where we lived one summer) and various other places. He was the first horse that Jilly really ever RODE on her own. She started when she was 5 or so, riding on her own, and let's just say the rest is history

At The Alvord Ranch, Oregon with Martin Black, holding a pretty mad mama cow.

This gentle giant is one that I trust to be around our tiny kids. In the photo on the right/below, Bryce is only about 3-4. That horse is amazingly competent with him

Western Idaho Fair 2010 (I think)

Jilly had just had a Mishap with a low hanging branch (a lifelong lesson she won't forget) and Beamer is delighted to look in the Camera and declare

"I did not do that" This look on his face shows that he is always watching the camera. Why? I really have no idea. He's never seen the results of the 'camera' ...but I do know it's not me he's watching, cuz in this photo, my son has the camera.

I do know he keeps an eye on me during lessons and such, because if he did 'argue' with the kids or whoever, I could talk to him, or cue him, and he'd do what I said.

This is just last Spring I believe

Various pictures, but the one far right below, is one of Jilly's very first rides in Cascade Idaho, She was 5, and I think he was too

Cascade Idaho 2011

Our twin granddaughters Cascade 2011

He does gets LOTS of hugs. This one from a niece visiting us in Cascade from California

This is Jilly's first summer of really riding on her own, and starting to learn to pop over poles

Back in Cascade

He had a buddy in Cascade and they were trying to sneak into a Non horse part of the barn. I caught them in the act

My friend's Grandson, trusted on Beamer

Brownlee, Idaho

I do not remember who this is, but I gave lessons in Cascade, and I can tell this is at the Fairgrounds there

My first horse show on him, in Glenns Ferry Idaho. It was rainy and cold!

Yep, I'm ok with 2 kids on him at once

It's pretty evident, that he knows when the camera is pointed at him. He makes sure to LOOK

That's the look in many photos

This little girl rode with us just for a short time, til they moved and her delight at everything 'horse' was so apparent by her constant giggling. I wish photos could be 'heard'

One of the girls who came to learn to ride on him at our house

Wayne's brother, roping again after years of not

At a "St Judes" ride in Eagle Idaho

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At a Branding last spring, babysitting Bryce

"There's something about the outside of a horse, that's good for the inside of a man"

This youngster was having a hard time .... having had to say goodbye to his Mom for a couple months, and Beamer offered a comforting shoulder to just be with.

A friend all the way from Georgia, came and rode him.

Horse Shows, where he brought home ribbons galore, and the Elmore County Fair where he won it all

This is an 11 year old girl that just won a class over 30 people. Some of the people in that class are professionals, on real nice horses. THAT was a Glory Moment

And I feel I can mention that Jilly is behind her on Marshmallow, got 6th place, as a 6 year old, on a 3 year old horse. Yep, Glory Moment.

Going for a walk, and taking his friend along

More of the Plethora of Grandchildren that love him, and I'm sure he considered "His"

And a young friend who just wanted to 'feel' what that 'felt like'

Another Whistle, Grin and Ride. We crossed over the Continental Divide.

My Non riding son ...riding anyway

In Buffalo Wyoming, Whistle Grin and Ride. (I told you it wasn't chronological)

He and Marshmallow stayed in the yard as grass mowers. And he stared in the windows ALOT

Beamer being friendly with Carolyn

This is a great, fun photo. And it's the cover of a Calendar too!

This girl had never ridden before. I don't remember her name, but she's ridden now!

Boys fighting over a one inch stick

Last summer, after so many fires...moving cattle to some feed 2013

Yep, he is patient

Jilly playing games on him

My husband teaching our Granddaughter

He was good about things like this.... you'd tell him where you wanted to 'be' and he'd make sure to keep you right 'there'

He's very careful and slow when needed, but he can stir up the dust. Sliding stop, 2011

He always got rewarded for a job well done, and he took those rewards to his very Heart, I"m sure

Sometimes, we just let him hang out in the yard.

A good resting post

My oldest son, with my grandson, and my youngest son finding out that to Beamer, Whoah, really means whoa, right now, hehehehe

My daughter taking a grandson for a ride

One of the first moments that Jilly came to see him, after being in the hospital. It almost looks as if he's asking her

"Are you better? I've missed you so much!"

Beamer meets our youngest Granddaughter, and of course, he loves her

Beamer's last day of actual work for us. Loading and shipping cattle. It literally just took moments, but I thought I better shoot it for the memories

Yes, always the clown

But seriously now, he's a beautiful horse

My very last ride. I wasn't even going to ride that day, but I decided, I better get one last ride in. Kind of a bittersweet moment.

Last moment ever in a saddle on his back.

He's done so many things for us/me. I believe to date, he is the quickest learner of some of the voice cues I like to use. He's the smoothest canter I've ever rode, most graceful jumper (but sheesh, with his legs, he'd better be!) A great teacher to all who care to pay attention, we won't forget you

The following photos make it so easy to forget all the very very annoying things he did. Pulling things off the racks, chasing other horses with a stick, carrying the feeding troughs out into the middle of the field (day after day) chewing and breaking timers off the faucet, (so the water would run in the field for hours on end) getting IN the water trough to splash and allegedly to cool off in warmer times, while breaking and cracking the trough, and while splashing mud and water ALL over the place including the barn. And while doing so, teaching every other horse on the property the same things. (Yes, the Legacy lives on) Not to mention, doing the banging in the middle of the night, somehow more loud than in the light of day. Those were times I would lay in bed and wish he'd be gone sooner! (that's the grumpy middle of the night me) Too late though, he made sure to teach the fillies the same bad habits, so yes, the Legacy Lives On. It's the following photos, that make all of that forgivable.

Beamer's most famous job for us was teaching Jilly so many things. And to me, his most spectacular, was the day that Jilly was able to get back in the saddle, after so many scary weeks. THIS is the job he will be most remembered for.

This is Jilly's first ride after her illness. Yes, a horse can make it so much better. Smiles abound here on horse and girl

You can NOT put a price on this smile. The value is enormous, and never to be taken lightly. It almost seemed he brought her back to life, not just the breathing, but

living life to the fullest again.

2nd ride

There will be many others, but this ride had such impact on her and me. When I turned around and saw this, I really knew I was seeing her and him back together again. He provided her the gentle rocking horse moves for her body to get in rhythm with, and she knew it was all gonna be ok. This is history in the making, right here.

She rides again, in those purple boots that waited at the foot of her hospital bed

This is how I will remember him.

I know she'll never forget her friend.